​Barr overcomes errors, tosses gem in Eagles win

by Michael Smith


Grain Valley baseball coach Brian Driskell said he was hoping to get starting pitcher Aaron Barr through all seven innings.

Barr went up against Smithville at home and he had good command of his pitches. However, his pitch count elevated as his defense committed a season-high four errors.

Because of that, the junior ended up having to throw more pitches, but he still got through six innings as he only gave up three unearned runs to help his team capture a 4-3 win Wednesday at home.

“I wish I could have thrown him out there in the seventh,” Driskell said of Barr, who tossed 93 pitches. We probably could have and been OK. We didn’t do a good enough job defensively. We made him pitch another 25-30 pitches that he shouldn’t have had to.”

“Both teams didn’t play great. There’s some things we have to clean up.”

Not only did Barr have a quality start, but he also allowed only four hits, walked one and struck out six in a stellar effort. The key for him was keeping his slurve pitch under control and he did just that as he pounded the strike zone with it and got hitters to chase it out of the zone, too.

“We all make mistakes, so I am not going to hold that against anyone,” Barr said of the errors.

“You just have to go out there and pitch your game and trust the guys behind you."

“The slurve along with the changeup was on today. I was able to mess up their timing with those two pitches while mixing in the fastball.”

Added Driskell: “The depth on his breaking pitchers were great. Where he started them and where they ended up is where the difference was.”

The right hander’s first unearned run came in the top of the first. An error in the infield on a ground ball from third baseman Brady Speer allowed Ben Murawski to score from second base to put the Warriors up 1-0.

The Eagles immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning. First baseman Logan Bennett crushed a fastball over the right-field fence with junior Brek Sloan on first base for his first varsity home run, giving his team a 2-1 edge.

“I was looking to get a pitch that I could hit well,” Bennett said. “I got a hold of it.”

Errors plagued the Eagles once again during the third as Smithville’s Max McKenzie and Muraawski reached base both reached base on infield errors by Grain Valley (5-5). McKenzie scored on Speer’s line drive double to center field, but Muraski was thrown out at home, which helped keep the game tied at 2 as Barr struck out Drake Odneal to end the inning.

A dropped pop fly by the Eagles in the fourth set the table for another Smithville run in the fourth. That error allowed Mason Jones to reach first and two batters later, he scored on a two out single from Roman Roske to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead.

Grain Valley (5-5) battled back in the bottom half of the inning and got an assist from Smithville starting pitcher Jake Kruse. The Smithville right hander lost his command and allowed the Eagles to score two runs without them getting a single hit.

After getting two outs, he walked Max Snyder and John Malicoat and hit Ian Kamstra to load the bases. Kruse was pulled from the game after he hit Luke Arndorfer with a pitch, which knotted the game at 3.

Warriors’ right hander Kade Thurston came in to relieve Kruse but had the task of getting out of a bases loaded jam. However, he hit Carter Harmsen with a pitch. That allowed Kamstra to score what ended up being the winning run.

Barr only allowed one base runner in his final two innings and Malicoat came in get the save as he worked around a leadoff walk. Sloan, the catcher, ended the game after throwing a dart to Bennett, who tagged out Roske on the pick off.

Grain Valley junior pitcher Aaron Barr allowed three unearned runs on four hits, walked one and struck out six to help Grain Valley pick up a 4-3 win over Smithville Wednesday at home.
Photo credit: Michael Smith

Grain Valley senior Ian Kamstra takes a pitch high and out of the strike zone. Photo credit: Michael Smith